Where Paleo + Running Thrive!

Wordless Wedding Week: the ceilidh!

I realise that some of you are wondering two things right now: what is ceilidh? How do you pronounce it? It is pronounced ‘kay-lee,’ and to hear it, you can click here. A ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic gathering, that involves playing Gaelic music and dancing. In Scotland, ceilidhs can be held for weddings, but also any type of party where you would dance; for my in-laws’ 40th anniversary party, they had a ceilidh. Ceilidhs can also be held as a fundraiser. For you Manitobans out there, a ceilidh would be the Scottish equivalent to a social. Ceilidhs are also a great way to fill the dance floor immediately at a wedding. The type of dancing you do at a ceilidh in Scotland is Scottish country dancing, perhaps you’ve heard of the Gay Gordons? (source)

Other popular dances include Strip the Willow, Dashing White Sargent, and my personal favourite, the Canadian Barndance. For more information on Scottish country dancing, check out the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society website.

My husband’s family is really into Scottish country dancing, so when weddings have ceilidh’s as their dance, we’re all up and doing our thing. My husband and I absolutely love the dances, and although we don’t know them all, we catch on quick and have a laugh.

My Canadian and American family and friends absolutely loved the ceilidh, and some even took Scottish contry dancing lessons back in Canada. My sister said that she wants a Scottish wedding for the ceilidh, even if her future husband isn’t Scottish. My American cousins told me our wedding was the best wedding they’d ever been to, (it could’ve possibly been the only wedding they’d been to as well).

This post has clearly been full of words, on with the photos!

Concentrating while doing the Gay Gordons

We always laugh at each other, I mean with each other

Best photo of the ceilidh

Ceilidhs always end with Auld Lang Syne

Hugs from everyone

That concludes Wordless Wedding Week, hope you’ve enjoyed it! It’s great to relive the memories. Both and I say that if we could, we would have our wedding every day because it truly was the best day ever!